The Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, also called the 1995–1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, or the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, was the effect of a series of missile tests conducted by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the waters surrounding Taiwan, including the Taiwan Strait, from 21 July 1995 to 23 March 1996. The first set of missiles fired in mid-to-late 1995 was allegedly intended to send a strong signal to the Republic of China government (ROC) under President Lee Teng-hui, who had been seen as "moving its foreign policy away from the One-China policy", as claimed by the PRC. The second set of missiles was fired in early 1996, allegedly intending to intimidate the Taiwanese electorate in the run-up to the 1996 presidential election.

Lee's 1995 visit to Cornell

The crisis began when President Lee Teng-hui accepted an invitation from his alma mater, Cornell University, to deliver a speech on "Taiwan's Democratization Experience". Seeking to diplomatically isolate the Republic of China, the PRC opposed such visits by ROC (Taiwanese) leaders. A year earlier, in 1994, when President Lee's plane had stopped in Honolulu to refuel after a trip to South America, the U.S. government under President Bill Clinton refused Lee's request for a visa. Lee had been confined to the military airfield where he landed, forcing him to spend a night on his plane. A U.S. State Department official called the situation "embarrassing" and Lee complained that he was being treated as a second-class leader.

After Lee had decided to visit Cornell, U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher assured PRC Foreign Minister Qian Qichen that a visa for Lee would be "inconsistent with [the U.S.'s] unofficial relationship [with Taiwan]." However, the humiliation from Lee's last visit caught the attention of many pro-Taiwan figures in the U.S. and this time, the United States Congress acted on Lee's behalf. The lobbying firm Cassidy & Associates worked to obtain Congressional support for the visit. The State Department relented on 22 May 1995. Lee spent 9–10 June 1995 in the U.S. at a Cornell alumni reunion. While in the United States, Lee stated, "Taiwan is a country with independent sovereignty. PRC leadership described Lee's moves as an effort to "split the motherland".

1995

In July 1995, Xinhua News Agency announced missile tests would be conducted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA); later, it announced when the exercises finished. The PRC mobilized forces in Fujian. The PRC sent officials to both Washington D.C. and Taipei to convey that the PRC did not intend to invade Taiwan.

From 21 July to 28 July, the Second Artillery Corps (SAC) conducted a round of missile launches in an area 36 miles north of Taiwan. On 21 July, SAC launched two Dongfeng-15 missiles approximately 70 nautical miles from the coast of Taiwan.

From 15 August to 25 August, the East Sea Fleet deployed 59 naval vessels for exercises, during which the People's Liberation Army Air Force practiced 192 sorties.

On 8 March, the PRC fired more missiles 20 miles off Keelung and 29 miles off Kaohsiung. The PRC also conducted a launch on 11 March.

On the following day, the PRC announced live-fire exercises to be conducted near Penghu from 12 to 20 March. On 11 March, the U.S. dispatched USS Nimitz CVN-68 and her battlegroup, Carrier Group Seven. The PRC 12 March to 20 March exercises proceeded On March 23, 1996, Lee was elected Taiwan's president. The then Secretary General of the National Security Council of Taiwan, Ting Mao-shih, flew to New York to meet Samuel Berger, Deputy National Security Advisor of the United States.

In 1999, Major General Liu Liankun, a top Chinese military logistics officer, and his subordinate Senior Colonel Shao Zhengzhong were arrested, court-martialed and executed for disclosing to Taiwan that the missiles had unarmed warheads despite the Chinese government's claims.

U.S. order of battle (March 1996 – May 1996)

alt=USS Independence CV-62 on 10 March 1996.|thumb|229x229px|USS Independence CV-62 on 10 March 1996.

U.S. 7th Fleet

  • Carrier Group 5 - Independence CVBG - (East China Sea)
  • USS Independence CV-62 (Forrestal Class Carrier)
  • Carrier Air Wing 5 - NF
  • VF-154 Black Knights - F-14A Tomcat (TARPS equipped)
  • VFA-192 Golden Dragons - F/A-18C Hornet
  • VFA-195 Dambusters - F/A-18C Hornet
  • VA-115 Eagles - A-6E SWIP Intruder
  • VAQ-136 Gauntlets - EA-6B Prowler
  • VS-21 Red Tails - S-3B Viking
  • VAW-115 Liberty Bells - E-2C Hawkeye
  • VQ-5 Sea Shadows Det.A - ES-3A Shadow
  • HS-14 Chargers - SH-60F Oceanhawk/HH-60H Rescuehawk
  • USS Bunker Hill CG-52 (Ticonderoga Class VLS Cruiser) - (Detached from the Battlegroup southeast of the ROC)
  • USS Hewitt DD-966 (Spruance Class VLS Destroyer)
  • USS O'Brien DD-975 (Spruance Class VLS Destroyer)
  • USS McClusky FFG-41 (Oliver H. Perry Class Frigate)* - After May 10, 1996*
  • thumb|Nimitz (left) cruising with and in the [[Sea of Japan in September 1997]]Carrier Group 7 - Nimitz CVBG - (Taiwan Strait)
  • USS Nimitz CVN-68 (Nimitz Class Carrier)
  • Carrier Air Wing 9 - NG
  • VF-24 Fighting Renegades - F-14A Tomcat
  • VF-211 Checkmates - F-14A Tomcat (TARPS equipped)
  • VFA-146 Blue Diamonds - F/A-18C (Night Attack) Hornet
  • VFA-147 Argonauts - F/A-18C (Night Attack) Hornet
  • VA-165 Boomers - A-6E SWIP Intruder
  • VAQ-138 Yellow Jackets - EA-6B Prowler
  • VS-33 Screwbirds - S-3B Viking
  • VAW-112 Golden Hawks - E-2C Hawkeye
  • VQ-5 Sea Shadows Det.C - ES-3A Shadow
  • HS-8 Eightballers - SH-60F Oceanhawk/HH-60H Rescuehawk
  • USS Port Royal CG-73 (Ticonderoga Class VLS Cruiser)
  • USS Callaghan DD-994 (Kidd Class Destroyer)
  • USS Ford FFG-54 (Oliver H. Perry Class Frigate)
  • Amphibious Squadron 11 - Belleau Wood ARG - (Taiwan Strait)
  • USS Belleau Wood LHA-3 (Tarawa Class Amphibious Assault Ship)
  • 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
  • VMA-311 Tomcats Det. - AV-8B Harrier II
  • HMLA Det. - AH-1W Super Cobra/UH-1N Twin Huey
  • HMH-466 Wolfpack Det. - CH-53E Super Stallion
  • HMM-265 Dragons - CH-46E Sea Knight

See also

  • Political status of Taiwan
  • Battle of Guningtou
  • First Taiwan Strait Crisis
  • Second Taiwan Strait Crisis
  • Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis
  • 2022 United States congressional delegation visit to Taiwan
  • 2022 Chinese military exercises around Taiwan
  • Hainan Island incident
  • Taiwan Relations Act
  • Chinese Civil War

References